AleSmith Decadence 2008 English Style Barleywine - AleSmith Brewing Company

dtx00

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

01-12-2013 20:19:43 | More by dtx00

jkane101

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

05-24-2013 23:49:54 | More by jkane101

spycow

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.5%

05-01-2013 03:17:33 | More by spycow

Azrael

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

02-08-2013 04:12:58 | More by Azrael

westcoastbeerlvr

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

01-10-2013 00:21:39 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

Pecan

California

4/5  rDev +1.5%

12-20-2012 07:39:54 | More by Pecan

drewone

California

2.75/5  rDev -30.2%

08-13-2012 19:58:34 | More by drewone

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +1.5%

08-12-2012 12:30:54 | More by t0rin0

womencantsail

California

3.25/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A hazy amber color with a small khaki head. An interesting array of aromas on this. Certainly sour with a strong citric acidity and a bit of vinegar. Candied orange peel, caramel, and some toffee. A little bit of grapefruit on the finish. The flavor is somewhat sweet with toffee and brown sugar. Still a little bit of booze along with some dark fruits. Definitely tart, but not overwhelmingly so.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 20:43:08 | More by womencantsail

UCLABrewN84

California

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle pour at the bottle share hosted by Adam Fine Wine & Liquor held at Sophie’s Place in Redondo Beach, CA.

Pours a murky brown with a foamy beige head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of malt, brown sugar, and dark fruits with a distinct cherry smell. Taste is slightly tart with malt, brown sugar, caramel, fruits, and a citrus zest flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty but the slight tartness was unexpected.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 03:25:46 | More by UCLABrewN84

ObeMaltKinobee

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

05-01-2012 08:55:51 | More by ObeMaltKinobee

beagle75

Iowa

3.8/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750 ml bottle into a tasting glass.

A: Hazy, dark amber color with no foam head. No lacing remains on the glass.

S: Very malty with a lot of toffee and crystal character. Wood is suggested, while sourness stands out more than expected.

T: Begins very off-dry, with spirituous grain and tartness that is slightly acetic. Malt is refined into the middle where estery and boozy dark fruit is detectable. Flavors dry out somewhat by the finish which tastes of earthy fermented green plants and citrus pith.

M: Medium viscosity, acidic yet smooth on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: The rumors were true for this bottle--Decadence 2008 turned out to be a sour barleywine. As a sour it is a success, although barleywine qualities were a bit compromised due to sharing time with the defining tartness. It is a special, beautifully-flawed beer--a trait that is as interesting and almost as desirable as is a perfect beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 21:59:43 | More by beagle75

bashiba

Iowa

3.88/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a murky light brown with some reddish highlights, a thin layer of tan head, light lacing.

The smell was a bit sweet with a bit of toffee, alcohol, and a deep bread quality.

The flavor was lightly tart with a bit of a wild brett like character to it, big english caramel malt flavors of heavy bread, toffee and a a bit of cedar come through, at this point there are no hops left to speak of. The tartness is a nice counterbalance to the big malty and alcohol sweetness.

The mouthfeel is creamy and a bit warm.

Very easy to drink, and enjoyable, but a bit of a departure from classic English Barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 19:16:59 | More by bashiba

Blakaeris

Iowa

4.1/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours cloudy, red-brown with a dense tan head.

Aroma is big and boozy. Rich dark fruit, oak, brandy.

Taste is initially bready malt. Then the intense dark fruit takes over. Sweet then tart. Plenty of aromatic woody cedar dryness in the finish and lingering alcohol warmth.

Mouthfeel is medium-full, very smooth.

Overall, a very interesting and flavorful brew. Very woody and fruity.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 23:26:28 | More by Blakaeris

PowDay

California

4/5  rDev +1.5%

01-02-2012 08:20:43 | More by PowDay

jophish17

Georgia

3/5  rDev -23.9%

12-09-2011 02:03:23 | More by jophish17

pzymali

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.5%

12-08-2011 03:45:35 | More by pzymali

pperez38

California

4/5  rDev +1.5%

12-01-2011 08:21:18 | More by pperez38

Amyliz4

Virginia

5/5  rDev +26.9%

11-19-2011 18:04:43 | More by Amyliz4

supercolter

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +26.9%

11-19-2011 05:23:39 | More by supercolter

earitt

California

5/5  rDev +26.9%

11-17-2011 19:55:10 | More by earitt

imperialking

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.5%

11-15-2011 02:54:57 | More by imperialking

Exiled

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.5%

11-14-2011 17:47:20 | More by Exiled

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Deuane for busting this one out after our MD/DE trip.

A - Pours ruby tinged brown with a small one finger tall white head leaving spotty lace down the glass.

S - Smells of sweet caramel malts, candied sugar, faint hop bitterness, and some light tartness. Not too bad but I have had better.

T - Starts off with lots of caramel sweetness slowly giving way to a mix of toffee, candied sugar, dulled hop bitterness, and the light funk from the nose. The finish is a mix of sweetness and light booze heat, lingering on the pallet for a short period of time.

M - Medium body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Sweet feel with only a tiny bit of booze creeping in toward the end of the glass.

O - This one was OK. The flavors were all there but it was a little muddled. I wouldn't mind trying the BA version in the future but I wont be actively seeking it out.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 17:30:10 | More by orangesol

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

poured a very nice and thick looking ruby tinted brown with a small say about a finger and a half of white lace and foam on the top. Quick recession led to a decent but not impressive side glass presentation and virtually no carbonation was immediately visible. Smell was very sweet with candy like sugar and a rich malty smell, some light hops in the foreground, but they have been mostly mellowed out. A thick syrup like feel, with not a lot of carbonation was what was waiting for me. There was a nice sweet flavor to this, and a touch of alcohol was most definitely present. A good piney hop finish was there drawing out the flavors of fresh grass and a light bread like malt

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2011 01:49:11 | More by mikesgroove